Freddie Burns' hilarious training ground introduction to Japan
Ex-England international Freddie Burns has given a hilarious account of his early weeks in Japan, reflecting on quarantine, his first impressions during training for Shuttles, and getting blown out of it by a big Tongan in his first match last weekend.
Out of favour at Stuart Hooper’s Bath, Burns unveiled a one-year deal last May that will see him play in the Japanese second-tier league in 2021 and his Far East adventure so far has had numerous eye-opening moments, none more amusing than his frustration that his new teammates were apparently calling him Harry instead of Freddie.
Burns, whose younger brother Billy made his Ireland debut last Friday, arrived last month in Japan and has quickly thrown himself into the swing of things in a place called Kariya which is near Nagoya, the country’s fourth-largest city. On arrival, he had to quarantine for 14 days but he is now getting up to speed with his new team at training.
Appearing on the latest episode of The Rugby Pod, he told Andy Goode: “Quarantine was what it was, it was a bit tough but I was allowed out to go and get food every day so I went to the supermarket and I sort of took the long way around on my pushbike.
“It was tough but it was part of it and after having seven months off where I was stuck in the UK I was happy to be out here and on the countdown to getting back into a bit of ruggers.
All the best to Jim who sat out this week as a close family member passed away?
Freddie San joins us from Japan ?? with some great chat, and Goodey catches up with the Tullow Tank about his move to London Irish?
iTunes – https://t.co/3JcC9d15VQ
Acast – https://t.co/M8mYg4QBM0 pic.twitter.com/ij1VuhJNiF— The Rugby Pod (@TheRugbyPod) November 17, 2020
“For the first two weeks of training, I thought I was coming in one of the capped (star) players. I’m on the ball and all these boys outside me are going ‘Harry, Harry’. I’m going my name is Freddy mate. I catch the ball again and they are like ‘Harry, Harry’. I’m like mate what the f*** is going on?
“I spoke to Tusi Pisi who is going, oh no mate, they are asking for the ball early. Literally, for the first two training sessions, I thought I was coming here as a big guy and they are calling me ‘Harry’. I was sort of smiling and nodding and apparently they just wanted the ball early. I’ve just started shifting it on earlier now.”
Known for his off-the-cuff style of play, Burns has yet to unveil his full array of tricks while he settles into rugby life in Japan. “No chips and chases just yet. I’m just trying to find my feet. You have got to walk before you can run,” he explained.
“It’s hard. You know what it is like as a No10, you just want to turn around to someone and say I’ll bounce out or come at the line with me, but you can’t have those real quick conversations. You have to wait for the translator to come on and then everything is more long-winded. It’s definitely teaching me patience but it’s part of the challenge that I knew was going to have here when I signed. It’s tough but all good fun.”
Burns made his debut at the weekend against Toyota Verblitz and was quickly given an unceremonious welcome to Japan. “The No9 got caught and I went to secure him. We played Toyota Verblitz which finished in the top four last year. It’s like Willie le Roux’s team and Kieran Read is going to be here and I think (Michael) Hooper has signed as well.
“I’d been on for just five minutes and was just sealing over and one of the Japanese boys was trying to say something to me and I didn’t know what it is. He slaps me on the back sort of. I looked back at him and, of course, as soon as I looked back their massive Tongan No8 had seen I had done that and just counter-rucked me.
“Next thing I know I’m back on my arse, they pick up the ball and it goes 80 metres downfield, it goes out and I’m thinking oh for f***’s sake. Like it’s no cakewalk. It’s a bonkers place. There are only 15 professionals on my team, the rest train, then they go and work for the company and come back and we train a bit later in the day.
“It’s a weird dynamic but the standard and the attitude is very professional from the boys. We’re a team that knows we are not the best and we’re trying to change that and push on. Hopefully, as my language gets better, I can start having more of an influence but it calls for a bit of patience at the moment.
“We only lost by two tries at the end. We scored none when I came on because they were calling me ‘Harry’ again. But I’ll tell you what, the boys are going well and the season doesn’t start until January,” he said, going on to describe what his days are currently like.
“No (I don’t go and do a shift in the factory). I just take the free lunch and go home,” he quipped. “At the minute I train from probably eight until ten, then I go home and then I’m back in at 3.45pm for a meeting and a rugby session.”
“I sat in endless meetings where the talk was about wanting homegrown talent, people from Bath – yet I didn’t get given an opportunity”
– @FreddieBurns tells @heagneyl how it fizzled out for him at @bathrugby and why @shokki is an adventure he craves ???https://t.co/c3Iqqo3so2— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
3 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments